Courses

Every semester, we run 10-week courses for Cornell students interested in learning more about the design and development of mobile / web apps. Each course is taught by our core team members and can be taken for 2 S/U credits. Requirements include attending a 1-hour lecture once a week and completing a weekly project, culminating in a final project at the end of the semester, the Hack Challenge. We currently offer three courses (iOS development, backend development, and product design) that have been taken by hundreds of students at Cornell.

Intro to iOS App Development

Intro to iOS App Development is a course for anyone interested in making native iPhone applications. No prior iOS experience is required. We will start with the basics of Xcode and how to make a simple app, and work our way towards more advanced techniques as the course progresses. In previous semesters, we examined features from popular apps such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Tinder. By the end of the course, you should have all the experience necessary to create your own app and distribute it on the iOS App Store. Pre-requisites: you should either be currently enrolled in or have previously taken an intro to computer science course (CS 1110 or equivalent). You will need to have access to a MacBook or a PC running macOS to participate in the course.

Intro to Backend Development

Intro to Backend Development is a seminar-based course introducing backend / API development to students with some computing exposure. This course features lectures and programming assignments that flesh out the concepts and ideologies behind core backend development on a server. Topics include basic networking, SQL / NoSQL databases, authentication, software engineering concepts / strategies, DevOps and more.

Intro to Digital Product Design

Intro to Digital Product Design is a course for anyone interested in UX / UI and Product Design careers in digital experiences. We move through an intensive workflow of an entire design process that you'd most likely see in design-driven companies like Airbnb, Facebook, Google, and more. In this course, you will learn how to ideate solutions for existing applications and execute thoughtful solutions with Sketch, prototyping tools, and Origami. Pre-requisites: Have basic prior design knowledge in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or other graphic design programs. It's preferred that you have access to a MacBook and Sketch but you may also use Windows or alternative graphic design programs.